Check out Christi’s amazing transformation. She’s gone from 429 pounds to 215.
Here is her story:
“Hello Black Women Losing Weight. My name is Christi and I had lap band surgery February 2008. At my heaviest, I was 429 lbs with a BMI of over 55. It took me 2 1/2years to lose half of my body weight. I have been at 215 since April of 2010 and I have worked mighty hard to not go back to how I was before. For me, weight loss surgery was a last resort. I really tried to lose the weight on my own. Diet, exercise, doctors. At most, I lost 40 pounds and then hit a plateau. I was sooo frustrating doing everything the doctor and the health community told me to do with no results. So, after years of avoid the wls, even though my primary care doctor was constantly recommending it, I chose the lap band surgery against my doctor’s wishes. He stated that in his opinion, the lap band surgery did not work and that I would most likely have to have a revisional surgery once it didn’t take. Well, I proved him wrong. I lost the weight and have managed to keep it off going on three years. It was the best decision I ever made and I wish I hadn’t waited as long as I did to have the surgery. For anyone who is considering having one of the weight loss surgery, keep this in mind. 1. It is just a tool that you have to work in order for it to be successful. 2. Start by making small changes in your diet, from white to wheat bread, from whole milk to 2% milk, cut back on the amount of empty calories you are consuming i.e. sodas, candy, etc. For me, I had already made these changes prior to my surgery so the diet that was required was not that big of a jump. True enough, there are times when I miss being about to wrap a drumstick in a piece of white bread, but I don’t ever want to go back to the weight that I was. I am currently working with a trainer to get to a healthier weight due to the fact that according to the weight chart, I am still classified as being obese. Will never understand that chart. I never want to be bone skinny. I chose healthy and for me, healthy is around 190 to 200 lbs since I am 5’10”. I will never let the doctor tell me what looks best on my body. That’s my decision and no one else’s just like the decision on which wls to have.”
